Oil burner torch



y 1934 P. A. HALLQUIST 1,959,624

OIL BURNER TORCH Filed June 20, 1953 /9/ jg Z j; Z ZZZ/02 Patented May22, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

This invention relates to an elongated torch insertable in an annularspace between two concentric cylindrical walls of an oil burner toignite oil at the bottom of the space. Said space has considerabledepth, so that the torch must be correspondingly long, and is so narrowthat the torch must be suitably thin.

A torch of this character includes an elongated holder and an oilabsorbing wick engaged 0 with one end of the holder and adapted to beignited.

The chief object of this invention is to provide a simple, durable, andeifective torch, adapted to be conveniently inserted in an oil burnerspace, limit the effective flame emitting surfaces of the wick toprevent excessively rapid combustion of oil contained therein, permitconvenient adjustment of the wick to compensate: for the reductionthereof by combustion, and prevent objectionable contact between theexposed surfaces of the wick and the surfaces defining the oil burnerspace.

Of the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specificati0n,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the main portion of my improved torchwithout the wick, the jaws being normally sprung apart.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary enlargement of portions of Figure 1.

00 Figure 3 is a perspective view showing the torch prepared for use.

Figure 4 is a plan view showing a portion of the torch.

Figure 5 is an edge view of the portion shown by Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a side view of a portion of a strip supposed to be ofindeterminate length.

Figure 7 is an enlarged fragmental perspective view showing amodification.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all of thefigures.

Referring to Figures 1 to 5 of the drawing 12 12 designate opposed fiatjaws formed by the end portions of a flat resilient strip which is bentto form a neck 13, and elongated arms connected by the neck, the outerend portions of said arms constituting the jaws 12. Said jaws arenormally sprung apart, as shown by Figure 1, by the resilience of thestrip, and have parallel longitudinal edges and oppositely inclinedtransverse outer end edges 15 and 16 forming the outer ends of the jawsand crossing each other.

17 designates a fiat wick interposed between the jaws. Triangular sideportions 17 of the wick project from the edges 15 and 16, and constituteflame-emitting portions exposed at opposite sides of the torch. Theinner edge of one of said triangular portions is defined by thetransverse edge 15, and the inner edge of the other triangular portionis defined by the transverse edge 16, as indicated by dotted lines inFigure 4.

l8 designates a clasp, or slide, made by bending a strip of thin sheetmetal around the arms of the bent strip, said clasp having flat sidescontacting with the flat sides of the strip. The clasp is movable to theretracted position shown by Figure l, and to the projected positionshown by Figures 3, 4 and 5. When the clasp is retracted the jaws 12spring apart, so that they are separated by a space considerably widerthan the thickness of the wick.

The transverse edges 15 and 16 intersect the longitudinal edges of thejaws to form acute angled corners on the outer ends of the jaws. Saidcorners are bent inward to form prongs 19 engaging the outer end portionof the wick, and facilitating the location thereof in position to beclamped by the jaws. v

When the clasp 18 is projected as shown by Figures 3, 4 and 5, the jaws12 are clamped against the wick, portions of the sides of the wick beingexposed as above stated.

The wick may be adjusted endwise from time to time to compensate for theburning away of its outer end, the clasp 18 being retracted to permitthe jaws to spring apart preparatory to said ad- J'ustment.

It will be seen that on each side of the torch is exposed a triangularside portion 17 of the wick. One edge of said triangular portion is thetransverse outer end 1'7 of the wick. When the wick is adjusted as shownby Figures 3, 4 and 5 the edge 1'7 extends between the prongs 19. Theprongs prevent the outward bending of the wick from either side of thetorch. The exposed portion of the wick is therefore so confined that itcannot project sufficiently from either side of the torch to materiallyadd to the thickness thereof.

In other words, the wick is confined so that it cannot be laterallydisplaced by contact with the sides of a burner space in which it isinserted, the wick having no loose projecting portion liable to bedisplaced by contact with a burner surface and form a projection oneither side of the torch when the torch is entering said space.

The flat strip which includes the jaws and the sheet metal piece whichforms the clasp 18 are so thin that when they are assembled the torchhas a minimum thickness, which is such that the portion of the torchwhich includes the jaws and clasp may be freely inserted in an annularburner space of average width without liability of binding on the sidesof said space, the jaws being spaced apart by only the thickness of theflat wick.

It will be seen that the area of the exposed portions 1'7 of the wick isso limited that excessively rapid combustion of oil contained in thewick is prevented.

The oppositely inclined transverse ends 15 and 16 may be formed withoutwaste of metal by diagonally severing a strip of indeterminate lengthinto sections, each of suitable length for one torch, the severingcutter being straight and simultaneously forming two oppositely inclinedends, by a cut designated by 20 in Figure 6.

In the modification shown by Figure '7 the jaws are provided withV-shaped transverse end. edges 21 intersecting the longitudinal edges ofthe strip,

to form acute angled corners which are abreast of each other and arebent to form prongs 21 functioning like the prongs 19 to prevent eithersideof thewick from overhanging the outer side of either jawsuificiently to objectionably increase the thicknessof the torch andcause it to bind on the sides of the annular space in the burner. SaidV-shaped edges expose triangular flame emitting portions of the wick.

It will now be seen that each of the described embodiments of theinvention is a torch which comprises two flat resilient sheet metalwickgrasping jaws, means such as the neck 13 flexibly connecting thejaws, and a clasp movable on the jaws, said jaws being arranged topermit the interposition of a flat wick between them.

It will also be seen that the jaws have outer end edges which areinclined relative to their longitudinal edges and are arranged to exposelimited flame-emitting side portions of the neck, and support both sidesof the outer end of the wick to prevent either side from overhanging theouter side of either jaw, and objectionably increasing the thickness ofthe torch.

In the preferred embodiment shown by Figures 1, 2 and 3 the torchcomprises a flat resilient sheet metal strip, including two arm portionswhose outer extremities constitute opposed flat jaws 12, and a neckportion 13 connecting said arm portions, a clasp 18 movable on said armportions and jaws, and a flat wick 1'7 interposed between the jaws 12,said jaws having outer end edges which may be either the straight edges15 and 16, or the v-shaped edges 21, said edges being inclined relativeto the longitudinal edges of the strip, the arrangement being such thatthe jaws expose flame-emitting portions of the wick, and support bothsides of the outer end of the wick to prevent either side fromoverhanging the outer side of either jaw, and objectionably increasingthe thickness of the torch.

I claim:

1. As an article of manufacture, an oil burner torch comprising two flatresilient sheet metal wick grasping jaws, means flexibly connecting saidjaws, a clasp movable on said jaws and a fiat wickiriserted between thejaws, said jaws having outer end edges which are inclined relative totheir longitudinal edges, so that the jaws expose triangularflame-emitting side portions of the wick, and support both sides of theouter end of the wick to prevent either side from overhanging the outerside of either jaw, and objectionably'iricreasing the thickness of thetorch.

2. As an article of manufacture, an oil burner torch comprising opposedjaws formed by the end portions of a flat resilient sheet metal strip,said strip having parallel longitudinal edges and 0ppositely" inclinedtransverse end edges extending from edge to edge of the strip andforming the outer ends of the jaws, and a flat wick inserted between thejaws and having triangular side portions projecting from said inclinedtransverse edges, and constituting flame-emitting wick portions exposedat opposite sides of the torch, and a tubular clasp having flat sidescontacting with the flat sides of the jaws and movable thereon to pressthe jaws against the sides of the wick, the oppositely inclinedtransverse edges of the jaws crossing each other and intersecting thelongitudinal edges of the strip to form acute angled corners on theouter ends of the jaws, said corners being bent to form wick-engagingprongs confining the wick against sidewise displacement in either.direction, the wick being longitudinally adjustable when the jaws aresprung apart, the flame-emitting surfaces of' the wick being preventedby the jaws from projecting from the sides of the torch.

PETER A. HALLQUIST.

